Medical Electives

Latest news Sadly, travel restrictions due to the covid pandemic mean that our new group of student doctors have had to withdraw from their scheduled Elective Placements in Tanzania.

It was very disappointing that the elective of our 2020 student doctor volunteer Jessica Eardley had to be cancelled because of the covid pandemic in UK. Jessica instead spent the time working in her hard-pressed University hospital.

We had been delighted to announce that four UK medical students had opted to spend their electives in Tanzania for 4 weeks during during May/June 2021. Alas these will not now take place.
Rachel and Anna were to be based at Urambo Hospital supervised by our good friend Dr Swakala while Rachael and Alastair were to serve at Ndala Hospital in Nzega District with Dr Mgalega. 

In March/April this year two more UK doctors, this time from Exeter University Medical School, spent their 'elective' training period at Urambo Hospital. They were accommodated at Urambo FDC, in Devon House, which is within walking distance of the hospital.

Doctors Harry Theron (left) and Ben Kodiatt spent about 6 weeks under the supervison of the hospital Director gaining invaluable experience of the sort of medical problems faced by people in developing countries such as Tanzania. Equally, after 6 years of medical training, they were almost fully qualified UK doctors so were of great assistance giving much needed support to the under-staffed hospital. Definitely a win-win situation.

FUM support As usual FUM arranged their collection from the airport, transit stay in Dar es Salaam and onward travel to Urambo. FUM also arranged travel around Urambo District, visiting some village clinics that FUM supports. We will be particularly interested to hear their accounts of developments at Kamalendi, Kiloleni and Usisya clinics which we 'adopted' in 2017.

Read Ben's Report of his 2019 Elective Placement

In April/May 2017 three UK doctors from UCL spent their 'elective' at Urambo Hospital providing much needed extra support there, as well as gaining hugely themselves from the experience.

FUM organised their time in and transport from Dar es Salaam on arrival from UK. They stayed at nearby Urambo FDC, hosted by the long-standing housekeeper Mama Morro who is well used to overseas visitors such as FUM Officers Jo and Richard in November 2016.

Read Adam and Jane's reports of their 2017 Elective Placement

As a medical student Nick learned of the possibility of having his Elective placement in Tanzania.

FUM Officers Sioux Horsfield and Dr Iain Chorlton advised Nick on what to expect and, once he had made the decision to go, helped him with travel arrangements within Tanzania.

Read Nick's Report of his 2013 Elective Placement

Amy visited Tanzania with a Cranbrook School group in 2005. The picture shows her then at Maboha clinic.

The experience there changed the course of her life by deciding to switch to studying medicine at university.

Amy later chose her elective to be in Nzega Hospital with another student in 2011.

A FUM partner TDT provided funds for them to buy equipment for the local village clinics.

Read Amy's Report of her 2011 Elective Placement

For Jo's placement at Urambo Hospital she was attached to Dr Masimba, shown.

She stayed with Mama Kizinga then Principal at Urambo FDC and chose to walk to the hospital. She felt she had 'arrived' when passers-by started calling her "Mwanafunzi daktari" (student doctor) rather than the usual "mzungu" (white person).

She was intrigued by the arrival from Kilimanjaro District of the 'flying surgeons' who held a clinic for 60 patients and operated on 30 of them, all in the space of two hectic days.

Read Jo's Report of her 2007 Elective Placement